Comparative Study of Different FEM‐Based Delamination Modeling Techniques for Mechanically Coupled Laminated Composite Beams

ABSTRACT The aim of this work is to study the fracture behavior of carbon/epoxy laminated composite beams with different stacking sequences. Two numerical techniques were employed to model delamination: the virtual crack closure technique (VCCT) and surface‐based cohesive zone modeling (CZM). These numerical models rely on the finite element method using Abaqus/CAE. The specimens were loaded in accordance with the double cantilever beam (DCB) loading scheme commonly used to determine Mode I fracture properties. The compliance‐based beam method (CBBM) was employed as a data reduction scheme. This method is based on the equivalent crack length concept and provides the evolution of the strain energy release rate (SERR) under predominant Mode I loading ( G I ) without measuring the crack length. Numerical results for coupled beams were compared against experimental data. The results are in good agreement in the first part of the load–displacement curve. During damage propagation, the curves differ due to the presence of the fiber‐bridging phenomenon in the experimental tests.